UNLEASHED is the heartfelt and hilarious story of Emma (Kate), a brilliant but awkward app designer, who moves to San Francisco following a massive betrayal by her boyfriend. With only her beloved pets, an adorable cat and an energetic mutt in tow, Emma embarks on a new stage of her life: but what happens next is much more than she bargains for. One night, drawn by the light of a Supermoon, Emma’s pets escape into the night and are transformed into full-grown men, played by Justin Chatwin (as Ajax the cat turned into the beguiling ‘Diego’) and Steve Howey (from Summit the adorable dog to loveable, hyperactive Sam). In their human form, Diego and Sam still retain their animal qualities: Diego’s alluring aloofness playing excellently against Sam’s eternal optimism and loyalty. As they compete for Emma’s attention, it becomes clear that the human dating world is far more complex than the unconditional love and wholehearted trust that marked their relationship to Emma when they were her pets. As humans, they navigate the twists and turns of romance and dating with hilarity, honesty, and at times, complete bewilderment. Meeting her two pets as humans forces Emma to reconsider her outlook on dating, as she realizes that she must make significant changes in her life before fate takes another turn.

“It’s the kind of smart, sweet-natured fun sometimes missing from today’s more ribald comedies,” says Michael Fox of KQED Arts, and Solzy at the Movies writes that in Unleashed, we feel that “Love knows no species.”

UNLEASHED reveals the comical ways in which we are different than our pets, but perhaps more importantly, reminds of the poignant similarities we share with our friends in the Animal Kingdom.

Written and directed by three time Sundance Film Festival alum, Finn Taylor (Cherish, The Darwin Awards, & Dream with the Fishes), and produced by Susan Johnson (Carrie Pilby, Mean Creek, & Eye of the Hurricane), UNLEASHED has won the Audience Awards at the Mill Valley Film Festival, Sonoma International Film Festival, Long Beach International Film Festival and SouthSide Film Festival, and a Best Feature win at the SBE’s Hamilton International Film Festival.